Thesis (MA (African Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main concern of this thesis relates to an investigation of the lexical-semantic nature of the motion verb –phuma (exit, go out) in isiZulu within the framework of Generative Lexicon Theory. In particular, the thesis explores the event structure and aspectual verb class properties in the locative-subject alternation with the verb –phuma in isiZulu. Chapter one presents a general introduction to the study, stating the purpose and aims of the research, giving a broad perspective of the theoretical framework adopted, and outlining the organisation of the investigation of the lexical-semantic properties of –phuma. Chapter two presents a detailed discussion of Generative Lexicon Theory, which centrally concerns accounting for polysemy phenomena across various nominal and verbal expressions. The four dimensions of lexical-semantic representation that constitute the central theoretical properties in Generative Lexicon Theory are reviewed, i.e. Argument structure, Event structure, Qualia structure and Lexical Inheritance structure. In addition, the various facets of meaning of Qualia structure namely Fomral, Constitutive, Telic and Agentive facets, are described in relation to their theoretical significance in accounting for word meaning and polysemy. Chapter three examines in a systematic and comprehensive way the range of locative-subject alternation possibilities with the verb –phuma. In particular the range of semantic types of the NP subject argument of –phuma taking a locative complement is explored to determine whether all these sentences permit a corresponding locative-alternation construction. In addition, the aspectual verb class properties of the two variants in the alternation are analysed with regard to a range of diagnositics associated with stative events, activity events, achievement events and accomplishments events. It is known that the two variants in the alternation can be distinguished in terms of their aspectual verb class properties. Chapter four summarises the main findings of the study and presents the conclusion. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoofbelang van hierdie tesis hou verband met die ondersoek van die leksikaal-semantiese aard van die bewegingswerkwoorde –phuma in isiZulu binne die raamwerk van Generatiewe Leksikon teorie soos uiteengesit deur Pustejovsky (1996). Die tesis ondersoek spesifiek die gebeurtenis ('event') struktuur en aspektuele werkwoordklas eienskappe in die lokatief-subjek alternasie met die werkwoord –phuma in isiZulu. Hoofstuk een gee 'n algemene oorsig van die studie, stel die doelstellings van die teoretiese raamwerk wat aanvaar word, en skets die organisasie van die studie oor die leksikaalsemantiese kenmerke van –phuma. Hoofstuk twee bied 'n detail bespreking van Generatiewe Leksikonteorie, wat sentraal verband hou met die verklaring van polisemieverskynsels van naamwoordelike en werkwoordelike uitdrukkings. Die vier dimensies van leksikaal-semantiese representasie wat die sentrale teoretiese eienskappe vorm in Generatiewe Leksikonteorie word beskou, naamlik argumentstruktuur, Gebeurtenis ('Event') struktuur, Qualiastruktuur en Leksikaleerwingstruktuur. Voorts word die verskillende fasette van betekenis van Qualiastruktuur, nl. Formeel, Konstitief, Doel ('Telic') en Agentief beskryf rakende die teoretiese belang daarvan vir die verklaring van woordbetekenis en polisemie. Hoofstuk drie ondersoek op 'n sistematiese wyse die verskeidenheid van lokatief-subjek alternasie moontlikhede met die werkwoord –phuma. In die besonder, word die semantiese tipes van die NP subjek argument van –phuma wat 'n lokatiewe komplement neem ondersoek om te bepaal watter van hierdie sinne neem 'n lokatiewe-alternasie konstruksie. Voorts word die aspektuele werkwoordklas kenmerke van die twee variante in die alternasie ontleed met verwysing na 'n reeks toetse vir die onderskeid van aspektuele werkwoordklasse. Daar word aangetoon dat die twee alternasies onderskei kan word in terme van aspektuele werkwoordklas. Hoofstuk vier gee die opsomming en konklusie van die studie. / UKUBUKEZA KAFUSHANE: Lesi sifundo sibheka ucwaningo lwesimantikhi yelekhizikhoni yezenzo ezikhethiweyo esiZulwini. Esahlukweni soku – 1, injongo yalesisifundo iyashiwo, imiphumela yocwaningo mayelana nesimathikhi yelekhizikhoni yesenzo u – phuma kanjalo nengqikithi yelekhizikhoni itshengiswe ngokukaPustejovosky (1996). Isimo sengqikithi kanye nokulungiselelwa kwesifundo kuzoxoxwa ngakho kulesisifundo. Isahluko sesi – 2 siveza uhlobo lwesimantikhi yethu. Ulwazi olucutshunguliwe lwelekhizikhoni lufaka amazinga amaningi amele izinhlobo ezahlukeneyo zolwazi lwesimantikhi. Kula mazinga singabala isakhiwo sempikiswano, isakhiwo sesigameko, isakhiwo sekhwaliya kanye nesakhiwo esisohlwini ololandelayo. Lesi sahluko sesibili sibuye siboniso ngokucace kakhulu ngokwesakhiwo sekhwaliya nangendima edlaliwe ekuqhubekiseni imisebenzi yamagama kanye namabinzana ahlanganisiwe. Isahluko sesi – 3 sihlola ucwaningo lwesimantikhi lwesenzo u – phuma esimayelana nezingxenye zezimpawu ezikhethiweyo zempikiswano yebinzana lebizo eliyinhloko yesenzo u – phuma kanye nezincazelo ezahiukahlukene ezivela emagameni ahlanganiswe ngokwempikiswano yemfezeko. Izindlela zezincazelo eziningi zesenzo u – phuma zihloliwe esakhiweni sokushintshana emishweni ngokubandakanye esakhiweni sesigameko. Incazelo yelekhizikhoni ngokwamagama esakhiwo sempikiswano kanye nesakhiwo sesigameko sesenzo u – phuma emishweni eyahlukahlukene icutshunguliwe. Isahluko sesi – 4 siyisiphetho esifingqa konke okutholakala ezahlukweni ezindlule esifundweni socwaningo lwelekhizikhoni yesimantikhi yezenzo ezikhethwe esiZulwini.

Thesis (MA (African Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / This study explores semantic analysis of motion verb-hamba in IsiXhosa. In chapter 1 I have stated the aim of the study. I have discussed properties related to the lexical semantic analysis of the verb-hamba as well as Pustejovsky’s theory of the Generative Lexicon. The theoretical framework and the organization of study are also discussed in this chapter. Chapter 2 addresses in more detail the type system for semantics. A generative theory of the lexicon includes multiple levels of representation for different types of lexical information needed. These levels include Argument Structure, Event Structure, Qualia Structure and Lexical Inherent Structure. In this chapter there is a more detailed structure of the qualia and the role they play in distributing the functional behavior of words and phrases in composition. In chapter 3 I have examined the lexical semantic analysis of the verb-hamba to account for the range of selectional properties of the NP phrase subject argument of the verb-hamba and various interpretations that arise in terms of composition with its complement arguments. The polysemous behavior of the verb-hamba is examined in sentence alternation constructions with respect to the properties of the event structure. I have also investigated the lexical representation in terms of argument structure and the event structure of the verb-hamba in different sentences. Chapter 4 is the conclusion, summarizing the findings of all the previous chapters in this study on lexical semantic analysis of the motion verb-hamba in IsiXhosa. This is followed by word lists that contain meanings of words in the context in which they are used.

This work proposes an automatic system of analysis for Organic Chemistry compound names aiming to generate pictures of chemical structures. In order to accomplish this, the system receives an organic compound name, analyzes it syntactically and semantically and, if it represents a correct chemical compound, generates a visual output for the corresponding structure. An advance that the system shows in relation to other systems which deal with the same problem consists on being able to analyse both compound names that satisfy the current o±cial nomenclature constraints and those that, despite of do not respect them, represent correct organic compounds (in this case, the system will have solved a nomenclature ambiguity problem). The semantic and syntactic analysis are guided by the name component types of the chemical compounds, which motivated an implementation that fits into the Generative Lexicon Theory (GLT) formalism. Furthermore, the analysis guided by types justified the decision of implementing the system by using the parser combinators and the Clean Funcional Language as very adequate and eficient tools. The implemented system represents a significative utilitarian as an automatic Organic Chemistry instructor. / O presente trabalho propõe um sistema automático de análise de nomes de compostos da Química Orgânica visando a geração do desenho de suas estruturas químicas. Para tanto, o sistema recebe um nome de um composto orgânico, analisa-o sintática e semanticamente e, caso ele represente um composto quimicamente correto, gera uma saída visual para a estrutura química que lhe corresponda. Um avanço que o sistema apresenta com relação a outros que se propõem a efetuar tarefa semelhante e o fato de ele conseguir analisar tanto nomes de compostos que se enquadram nos padrões das nomenclaturas oficiais vigentes, quanto aqueles que, apesar de não se enquadrarem nos mesmos, representam compostos orgânicos verdadeiros (quando ocorrer tal situação, o sistema teria resolvido um problema de ambigüidade de nomenclatura). As análises sintática e semântica são guiadas pelos tipos dos componentes dos nomes químicos, fato que motivou a implementação do sistema nos moldes do formalismo da Teoria do Léxico Gerativo (TLG). Além disso, as análises guiadas pelo tipo motivaram a escolha dos combinadores de Parser e da Linguagem de Programação Funcional Clean como utilitários eficazes e adequados na execução das análises lingüísticas. O sistema implementado representa uma ferramenta muito útil como instrutor automático de Química Orgânica. / Mestre em Ciência da Computação